Florence’s 10th International Biennale of Contemporary Art

The Florence Biennale is the city’s primary exhibit of contemporary art, held every two years. If you are in the market for houses for sale in FlorenceItaly, your long-term stay will make it easy to visit one of the Biennale forums. This year, the event will be celebrated between October 17th and October 25th at the Fortezza da Basso in central Florence.

 In 2015, the Biennale marks its tenth presentation. Under the direction of Professor Rolando Bellini, this year’s Biennale coincides with several other events which are important in Italy. 2015 marks the 150th anniversary of Florence Capital of Risorgimental Italy. To the north, Milan has been hosting the EXPO 2015. With the Florence Biennale celebrating it’s 20th year (10th biannual edition), the festivities will be memorable indeed.

Historically, the Florence Biennale has been an independent event which is self-funded. Since its origin in 1997, it has featured exhibits of modern art from around the world, with classes and conferences to educate and entertain. Artists as well as anyone interested in visual art are provided a spectacular opportunity to see how contemporary art is developing across the globe. Indeed, hundreds of countries have been represented by thousands of artists in the previous Biennale events.

New Artists, New Media

An important aspect of the Florence Biennale is its promotion of up-and-coming artists who work in traditional media such as ceramics, painting, sculpture, textiles and paper art, as well as those creating interest with contemporary media such as photography, video, digital media, mixed media and installations.

The mingling of old and new means of creative expression matches well with another theme of the Florence Biennale: fostering cross-cultural dialogue. For that reason it has been honored by the United Nations and UNESCO Centers. Participation in the event has grown significantly in two decades, and benefits greatly from the recognition of contemporary artists like Christo, David Hockney, Marina Abramovic and Anish Kapoor.

Medici Influence: The Lorenzo il Magnifico Award and Fortezza da Basso

A highlight of the Florence Biennale is the awarding of the Lorenzo il Magnifico prize by an international jury. The honor is named after Lorenzo dei Medici, who ruled over Florence and supported the city’s artists during the Renaissance. It recognizes artists who participate in the event, as well as those who have made other significant contributions to contemporary culture.

Since its inception, the Florence Biennale has been held in the heart of Florence. This year, it returns to the Renaissance-era Fortezza da Basso. Constructed over several years beginning in 1534, the fortress reveals the splendor of the Medici government. It has played host to the Beinnale since 1999. The first Biennale was held in the Palazzo degli Affari, with subsequent shows in the Spadolini Pavilion. Your own piece of Florence Italy real estate may not be as substantial in size, but the centrally located Fortezza can be enjoyed throughout the year.